Lent, also known as the carnivore catastrophe. Every Friday during this grueling six-week period, Catholics everywhere are relegated to any food that does not come from a warm-blooded animal.

Luckily, New Orleans is blessed with alternatives that rival even the best meat-filled meals.

From crawfish boils to a dozen raw oysters, there are always a wide variety of options to gorge on, even on those most unfortunate Fridays.

In particular, po-boys encompass seafood of all shapes and sizes that satisfy our taste buds.

And of course, these po-boys are all best served dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, accompanied by a Barq’s or a beer.

DOMILISE‘ – Half and Half

5240 Annunciation St.

Domilise’s has long been known for their po-boys and for good reason. Though it’s hard to go wrong with any of the assorted options they offer, it’s their seafood that stands out. Both the shrimp and the oyster po-boys come with Domilise’s secret sauce, which adds a bit of a kick to the sandwich. Because it might be difficult to decide between oyster and shrimp, the people at Dom’s combined the two into a seafood extravaganza known simply as the half and half. Though it only comes as a large, it is worth the price, and you will be happy with those extra few inches.

GUY’S PO-BOYS – Alligator sausage

5259 Magazine St.

If typical seafood isn’t your thing, the alligator sausage po-boy offers the illusion of meat while technically being seafood. Though alligator might seem like a daunting meal to some, it actually has a similar taste and texture to Andouille sausage. Unlike your typical sausage po-boy, though, Guy’s slices their alligator sausage into thin slices, which are then stacked high onto crispy Leidenheimer bread.

MAHONY’S – Grilled shrimp with fried green tomatoes and remoulade

3454 Magazine St.

Unlike most po-boy places in the city, Mahony’s offers a grilled shrimp po-boy topped with fried green tomatoes and a remoulade sauce. Whereas most places go for quantity over quality in their shrimp po-boys, Mahony’s does the opposite. Rather than overstuffing their sandwich with small shrimp, Mahony’s uses quality jumbo shrimp, which provides an interesting alternative. That, along with fried green tomatoes and remoulade, creates a unique and unforgettable food experience.

MOTHER’S – Soft shell crab

401 Poydras St.

Though Mother’s is famous for their Ferdie, a monstrous po-boy filled with ham, roast beef and debris (more roast beef), they also offer unique options for non-meatheads. One of their specialties is their soft shell crab po-boy, served with a tangy lemon-butter sauce. Unlike shrimp or oyster, the soft shell crab po-boy provides a crunchier texture, which complements the rest of the fixins well.

PARASOL’S – Firecracker shrimp

2533 Constance St.

Though Parasol’s offers all of the standard seafood po-boys such as shrimp, oyster and catfish, they also offer “firecracker” po-boys, which will make you break a sweat. Firecracker po-boys are served just like any other po-boy, except the seafood of your choice is battered in their firecracker sauce, making it more intense than anything a little hot sauce could do. 

Alligator sausage po-boy from Guy’s Po-boys (Photos by Kevin Zansler/ managing photo editor)